Measuring device for process engineering and operating method for a measuring device

ABSTRACT

A measuring device for process technology, useful in measuring- and/or cleaning- and/or calibration-installations in the field of process automation for measuring pH-values and/or redox potentials and/or other process parameters, and an operating method therefor. The measuring device includes at least one central unit having at least one central computer, wherein, in the central computer a management system is provided for the dynamic management of input components (I) and/or output components (O) and/or functional components (F) and/or service components (D) and/or management components (V) and/or interface components (IX) and/or other system components.

The present invention relates to a measuring device for processtechnology useful in measuring- and/or cleaning- and/orcalibration-installations in the field of process automation formeasuring pH-values and/or redox potentials and/or other processparameters. The device includes at least one central unit, which has atleast one central computer.

The present invention also relates to an operating method for ameasuring device for process technology useful in measuring- and/orcleaning- and/or calibration-installations in the field of processautomation for measuring pH-values and/or redox potentials and/or otherprocess parameters. The device includes at least one central unit, whichhas at least one central computer.

Conventional measuring devices frequently include a microprocessorcontrol, which monitors process flow and processes measured values.However, this type of control is very inflexible, since, as a rule,significant effort is required, in order e.g. to replace the software ofthe microprocessor control or to expand the functionality of the devicein other directions.

Usually, a program memory of the microprocessor control must beexchanged, or the program memory must—possibly in the field—at least bewritten over. Moreover, an adaptation of the software requires, almostindependently of the scope of the changes, the expensive knowledge ofspecialists and, beyond that, much time.

In view of this, it is an object of the present invention to develop ameasuring device of the above-named type and a corresponding operatingmethod therefor further, such that a simpler and more economicaladaptation of the measuring device to inherently changing demands ispossible.

This object is achieved according to the invention for a measuringdevice of the above-named type thereby, that there is provided in thecentral computer a management system for the dynamic management of inputcomponents and/or output components and/or functional components and/orservice components and/or management components and/or interfacecomponents and/or other system components.

The management system works in conjunction with an operating system ofthe central computer and uses services provided by the operating system.Thereby, it is, in principle, possible to design the management systemindependently of the architecture of the central computer, in so far asthe operating system provides the access to all hardware components ofthe central computer needed by the management system.

It is also possible that the management system is integrated into theoperating system of the central computer. Alternatively thereto, it islikewise possible that the management system uses services of theoperating system and, parallel thereto, itself accesses hardwarecomponents of the central computer.

Quite generally, the management system can be stored in a program memoryof the central computer. The program memory can, here, be in the form ofa fixed memory, i.e. ROM, or also a re-writable Flash/EEPROM memory.

Usually the management system, as well as the operating system, arestored in an area of the program memory of the central computerspecially reserved therefor and are re-written into the program memoryonly in the case of a software update or the like.

The management system assigns data processed by the central computer, ordata which needs only to be forwarded, to the system components providedtherefor in a manner yet to be explained. Such data can be, for example,measurement data from sensors.

In this case, the management system, in conjunction with use of thesystem components, represents, in an especially advantageous manner, anabstract plane between physical signals, such as e.g. sensor signals,and the central computer itself.

In this way, the necessity for adapting the application programs runningon the central computer to special hardware components is avoided. Forexample, an application program in the case of the present inventiondoes not need any special program code for activating a sensor connectedto the central computer, in order to obtain corresponding measuredvalues from the sensor.

The activating of the sensor and the read-out of measured values occursin the case of the measuring device of the invention, using themanagement system for the system components, in such a way that aspecial system component, namely an input component, is assigned to thesensor. This input component, on the one hand, contains specialinformation for the activating of the sensor, and, on the other hand,has a system interface within the management system. The measured valuesof the sensor can be forwarded to other system components, such as e.g.output components, through this interface. In this way, the applicationprogram does not need to be adapted, when e.g. another sensor is used.Only the corresponding input component needs to be adapted.

The system interface of a system component can, for example, be a rangeof memory in the central computer, accessible both by the managementsystem and also by one or more other system components. The range ofmemory can, for example, be organized as a stack memory.

In the following explanations, the term “connection” is used forindicating quite generally a data exchange between system components,such as e.g. input and output components with one another by means ofthe management system and between system components and other componentsof the central computer. A connection can be implemented with the helpof the system interface; there are, however, other techniques possiblefor a data exchange in the sense of a connection.

Via appropriate interface components, the management system enables thetransfer of data through interfaces to users of the measuring device oralso to other devices, e.g. other measurement devices. Also, theinterface components have, for this purpose, a system interface for theexchange of data in the, or by the, management system.

Furthermore, the interface components have interface-specificinformation, in order to activate the interface hardware of the centralcomputer directly, or in order, if necessary, to invoke services madeavailable by the operating system for the use of the interfaces.

Input components can, for example, be used for the read-in of data atdigital or analog inputs of the central computer. Output components can,correspondingly, be used, for example, for activating digital or analogoutputs of the central computer, or actors, or actuators, connectedthereto.

The management system enables, in simple manner, the integration of themost varied of assemblies and hardware components into the measuringdevice of the invention, wherein the adaptation at the programming leveloccurs in the form of the system components.

The management system can dynamically connect system components, so thatan adapting of the functionality of the measuring device, which dependsessentially on the functional complexity of the operating programslocated in the programming memory of the central computer, is possiblesimply.

If, for instance, a new sensor is connected to the measuring device,then it is merely necessary to instantiate the input component alreadypresent in the device, out of the existing set of input components, andto connect with other system components, as needed, by means of themanagement system.

Dynamic signifies in this context that system components can beconnected to, or also disconnected from, one another, during theoperation of the central computer, or at least then, when an applicationprogram is already located in the central computer. It is, consequently,possible to configure the measuring device anew, without having to writethe entire program memory of the central computer anew.

A very efficient possibility for integrating new hardware components,such as e.g. A/D converters or the like, is to test during the startingof the measuring device all interfaces and inputs, respectively outputs,of the central computer for the presence of sensors or other hardwarecomponents, and to assign to the hardware components found thereby theappropriate system components, thus e.g. input or output components.Expediently, there are for this purpose already a number of systemcomponents in the program memory of the central computer for access, asthe need arises.

It is also possible to provide different forms of embodiment of themeasuring devices during manufacture with different numbers of systemcomponents. For example, measuring devices of small scope offunctionality and little program memory can be equipped with only fewsystem components; larger devices with more program memory can alreadyreceive during manufacture very many system components, which enable avery flexible adapting to changing requirements.

Functional components are provided in the management system for thecomputational processing of measurement or regulating quantities. Thesefunctional components usually possess at least one input and one outputand serve for implementing functional relationships between the datalying on the input(s) and the data presented on the output(s). Forexample, it is possible to implement mathematical functions with thefunctional components. Additionally, functional components can alsocontain (state-)memories and then work essentially as state automata,whereby also complex systems, such as e.g. filters of higher order, canbe realized.

Functional components can be connected by the management system, forexample, with input components and/or with output components or furthersystem components. As already addressed, the term “connect”, also “bind”or “link”, in this context means that system components can exchangedata over a system interface, such as e.g. shared memory areas in theform of a stack memory or the like.

In this way, it is possible to apply mathematical functions, such as,for example, an average value forming, or a rounding, to sensor dataprovided by input components and to forward the results, e.g. by meansof output components, to actors or actuators. Likewise, it is possibleusing an appropriate functional component also to filter signals.

Especially, a development, also, of user-specific functions is possible,such being integrated into the measuring device in the form ofuser-specific functional components. Especially beneficial herein isthat a change of an application program already running on the centralcomputer is not required. The management system can connect theuser-specific functional component also in the same way as other systemcomponents.

Usually, the system components have parameters, for example for theidentification of components or also for the control of the signal, ordata, processing in the functional components. The parameters areorganized by a parameter management system, which is provided in themanagement system of the central computer.

The parameter management system resolves dependencies between parametersin different components. To do this, it is necessary that systemcomponents that use parameters record these parameters in the parametermanagement system.

A further, advantageous form of embodiment of the measuring device ofthe invention is characterized in that the management system has meansfor error recognition and/or error handling, which, for example, monitorthe utilization of the memory areas assigned to the system components,or their instances.

Very advantageous is also a communications interface which is preferablyprovided in the central computer and which interacts with an interfacecomponent of the management system. The communications interface is, forexample, provided in the form of a field bus interface.

It is also possible to design a communications interface differently, byparameterizing, or definition, of special functional components, whichinteract with an interface component, and, in this way, adapt todifferent standards. For example, using this technique, also digitaloutputs of the central computer can be provided with the functionalityof a communications interface.

Very expedient for data exchange between the management system, or itsinterface components, and a communications interface is, in this case,the use of so-called dual-port-RAM memories, thus memories, whichoperate using two separate read/write interfaces. A synchronizationbetween the management system and the communications interface isachievable in this case by the use of semaphores.

A further, very advantageous form of embodiment of the present inventionis characterized in that a user interface is provided, over which datacan be displayed by means of display elements, or over which a user canoperate or also configure the measuring device using an input device. Anexample of a display element is a liquid crystal display. Processtechnology also includes contact-sensitive display elements, such ase.g. so-called “touch panels, which can be very helpful.

A further, flexible solution of the invention is characterized in thatthe communications interface includes an integrated web-server. Theintegrated web-server can furnish data of the measuring device in thewidely adopted HTML (hypertext markup language) format. A personalcomputer, or a notebook computer, can, with a web-browser, display, orstore, data furnished from the measuring device.

Very advantageous also is another form of embodiment of the presentinvention, such being characterized in that the user interface includesa web-browser.

The user interface can then display data furnished from thecommunications interface in HTML-format. It is not necessary to formatdata to be issued via the user interface on a display element of themeasuring device in some manner of formatting different from thatpossessed by the data which is transmitted via a communicationsinterface for utilization in other devices, such as e.g. a notebookcomputer. In particular, it is not necessary to prepare the data in themeasuring device for issue in plural formats, in order e.g. that it fitthe size of the display elements, because the HTML-format already offerssuitable formatting options.

A further development of this idea provides that the communicationsinterface is equipped with a radio communications interface, e.g. for amobile radio network system. Building on this idea, it is also possibleto forward the report of process conditions over the short messagesystems (SMS) widely used in the mobile radio networks. A furtherpossibility for wireless connection of the measuring device is the useof radio transmission equipment working on the de facto standard,Bluetooth.

A further, especially advantageous form of embodiment of the method ofthe invention is characterized in that the execution of applicationprograms on the central computer can be managed by the management systemwith the help of the management components. In this way, it is possibleto invoke application programs contained in the program memory of thecentral computer also from functional or other system components. Inthis way, especially so-called callback mechanisms can be implemented,which enable an interaction of application programs with systemcomponents, without requiring an application program itself to access asystem component. Such callback mechanisms are especially well suitedfor invoking application programs in reaction to the changing of asensor signal or the like.

As a further solution of the object of the present invention, anoperating method is provided for a measuring device for processtechnology for use in measuring and/or cleaning and/or calibrationinstallations in the area of process automation, for measuring pH-valuesand/or redox potentials and/or other process parameters, with at leastone central unit, which has at least one central computer, wherein inthe central computer a management system dynamically manages inputcomponents and/or output components and/or functional components and/orservice components and/or management components and/or interfacecomponents and/or other system components.

Especially advantageous is an operating method, wherein systemcomponents, preferably using a development environment, are specifiedand/or selected and/or configured and/or connected, or bound, together,before they are transferred to the central computer.

The method of the invention enables a development of system componentson a development system specially provided therefor in a developmentenvironment adapted therefor.

This development environment can, for example, provide means for thegraphical programming of the system components, or the connections, orbindings, between the system components. It is also possible therein toutilize libraries containing frequently used system components, orinformation about connections, or bindings.

In this way, the program code required for the system components can beefficiently re-used, whereby the total development process of ameasuring device of the invention becomes more economical. Finally, thesystem components and the information about connections can betransferred into the central computer, where they are utilized by themanagement system.

Especially advantageous in this solution is the possibility of beingable to effect connections and/or interconnections during operation ofthe device of the invention. The configuration of the measuring devicecan be accomplished, without having to shut the measuring devicecompletely down or having to place it in a special operating state.

A further advantageous variant of the operating method of the inventionprovides that system components, during operation of the measuringdevice, are transferred into the central computer and/or are bound-in,or linked, by the management system, or are connected with other systemcomponents. This can be done, for example, by transferring thecorresponding program code of the components into a free area of theprogram memory of the central computer provided for these purposes. Inthis way, a further possibility obtains for expanding the functionalityof the measuring device during its operation.

A further embodiment of the operating method of the invention providesthat system components are bound-in permanently in the central computerand that, for configuring the measuring device, information about theconnection, or binding, of the system components by the managementsystem is evaluated.

In the case of this variant, elementary system components, such as e.g.input and output components, which represent input and output meansalready physically present in the central computer, such as e.g. digitalinputs and outputs and analog inputs and outputs, or input/outputcomponents for certain sensor/actuator modules, are already in theprogram memory of the central computer. Additionally, e.g. pluralfunctional components, which, for example, represent elementarymathematical functions, are already present in the program memory of thecentral computer. For configuring the already-present system components,desired connections, or bindings, are defined e.g. with the aid of adevelopment environment and subsequently transferred into the centralcomputer, where the information about the connections are evaluated bythe management system and the corresponding connections are established.

A further, very advantageous form of embodiment of the operating methodof the invention is characterized in that the information concerning theconnection of the system components is transferred from a firstmeasuring device to other measuring devices. In the same way, alsosystem components can be transferred from one measuring device toanother measuring device.

Further features, possibilities of application and advantages of theinvention will follow from the subsequent description of examples ofembodiments of the invention illustrated in the figure of the drawing.Therein, all described or illustrated features, whether alone or in anycombination, form the subject matter of the invention, independently oftheir summarization in the patent claims or the examples in which theywere presented, as well as independently of their formulation,respectively illustration, in the description, respectively in thedrawing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of the central computer of a measuringdevice of the invention.

The central computer 1 has an operating system 2, which providesservices to application programs running on the central computer 1 andenables access to hardware components of the central computer 1. Forthis purpose, the operating system 2 has, among other things, devicedrivers 2 a, a file system 2 b, a graphics library 2 c, as well asfurther components 2 d.

The functionality of the file system 2 b can also be contained in amemory management system of the operating system 2.

The operating system 2 controls the running of processes on the centralcomputer 1 and furnishes a memory management. Services of the operatingsystem 2 manage timers, standard functions for activating interfaces andother frequently needed functions.

Additionally, the central computer 1 has a communications interface 6,which, besides a so-called “embedded web-server”, thus an integratedweb-server 6 b, also includes a field bus interface 6 a and a radiocommunications interface 6 c, which works according to the de factostandard, Bluetooth. The radio communications interface 6 c can also beformed such that it is compatible with a GSM mobile radio communicationssystem. The field bus interface 6 a can also be constructed as aProfibus, HART, or FOUNDATION field bus interface.

The communications interface 6 enables the exchange of data with othermeasuring devices or utilizing devices. For example, it is possible totransmit process data and recorded sensor data of the measuring devicewirelessly to a notebook computer provided for a further evaluation ofthe process, or sensor, data.

Finally, the central computer 1 also has a user interface UI. The userinterface UI has a so-called “touch panel” as output component, i.e. atouch-sensitive, liquid crystal display (not shown), which is providedfor the output of process data and operating parameters of the measuringdevice.

Integrated in the user interface UI is a Web browser UI′, which displaysdata delivered in HTML (hypertext markup language) format by theintegrated Web server 6 b of the communications interface 6.

The central computer 1 also includes a management system 4, which,similarly to the operating system 2, is stored in its own, reserved areaof the program memory of the central computer 1. The program memory ofthe central computer 1 is in the form of FLASH/EEPROM memory.

The management system 4 manages quite generally, dynamically, systemcomponents of the measuring device, including input components I, outputcomponents O, functional components F, service components D, managementcomponents V and interface components IX.

The system components I, O, IX are software representations of hardwarecomponents, which are either already contained in the central computer Ior are connected thereto.

Here, the input components I represent hardware components serving fordata input. Such hardware components are sensors of all kinds, as wellas digital and analog inputs of the central computer, as well as otherpossible sources of data.

The output components O represent, accordingly, hardware componentsserving for data output, thus e.g. actors, or actuators, and digital andanalog outputs, which can also be connected via a serial interface.

The interface components IX usually represent the interface hardwarepresent in the central computer 1.

The functional components F, the service components D and the managementcomponents V represent functional units of program code executable onthe central computer 1. In contrast to the system components I, O, IX,these functional units do not contain program code for activatinghardware components, such as sensors and the like, although exceptionsto this are conceivable.

Here, the functional components F enable the implementing of e.g.mathematical functions and the processing of data quite generally. Alsostate automata can be realized with the functional components F.Additionally, also user-specific functions can be implemented, which areestablished on the basis of specifications.

The service components D utilize services furnished by the operatingsystem 2, such as e.g. a timer service or the like. Beyond this, theservice components D can also contain special program code foractivating components of the central computer 1, for whose use theoperating system 2 lacks appropriate services.

The management components V allow managing, or control, of the executionof application programs on the central computer 1. It is possibletherewith to invoke application programs contained in the program memoryof the central computer also from functional components F or othersystem components. This is especially of great advantage, whenapplication programs need to be invoked in reaction to a sensor signalor an event being processed inside of the system components.

All system components I, O, F, D, V, IX are implemented in the form ofcode-modules, which are program code which can run on the centralcomputer 1.

The code modules are usually stored in the program memory of the centralcomputer 1. It is also possible to transmit code modules into thecentral computer 1 during operation of the measuring device, in order,in this way, to provide new system components. Such a transmission canoccur, for example, over the communications interface 6, so that codemodules are transferable to the measuring device of the invention fromother measuring devices or from additional devices, such as e.g. PC's ofa control station or directly from the manufacturer of the measuringdevice, or from providers of user-specific functional components.

The management system 4 can connect separate system components with oneanother, as will be explained below in more detail on the basis ofFIG. 1. In the management system 4, the input component I is connectedwith the functional component F. This is indicated graphically by thearrow IF. The realizing of this connection by programming occurs in aplurality of steps.

In the first step, an instantiation of the code module to be used forthe input component I occurs, whereby a new instance of the code moduleis created, which is assigned to the input component I. This newinstance possesses the functionality of the selected code module.

Additionally, the new instance is temporarily given an area in memory,which can be used for the data processing within the input component I.A further memory area in the form of a stack memory is given to theinput component I for data exchange with other system components. Alsothis further memory area is preferably reserved only temporarily, forthe lifetime of the input component I. This has the advantage that thetemporarily reserved memory can be used otherwise following terminationof the instance assigned to the input component I, for example for otherinstances.

As indicated in FIG. 1, it is possible to produce plural instances of acode module. Each instance then requires a stack memory and, if need be,a memory area for the component-internal data processing. The programcode of the code module itself is, however, present only as one copy inthe program memory and is processed upon the invoking of each of thethree instances. The management system 4 manages, in this case, thestack memories and the memory areas for the data exchange of theseparate instances, so that each instance of the code module can accessthe memory assigned to it, or to the respective input component I.

In the present case, each of the three input components I is assigned toa channel of the sensor/actuator interface module SA.

The instantiation of other code modules occurs in the same way. As shownin FIG. 1, the central computer 1 has, in each case, three instances ofthe functional component F and three of the output component I.

Following the instantiation of a code module, the input component I isassigned a stack memory for the data exchange with other systemcomponents. According to FIG. 1, the input component I is connected withan input of the functional component F; see the arrow IF. By thisconnection, it is established in the management system 4 that the inputcomponent I shares a stack memory with the functional component F, sothat the functional component F, for example, can read out, and furtherprocess, data written by the input component I into the shared stackmemory.

Analogously thereto, the output of the functional component F isconnected with the output component O. The functional componentimplements in the present case a lowpass filter, so that thelowpass-filtered data of the input component I are fed to the outputcomponent O.

The output component O finally is assigned a code module that activatesa D/A-converter connected to the central computer 1.

The further instances of the input/output and functional components I,O, F are connected together in analogous manner.

As a whole, the management system 4 manages the contexts, i.e. thememory areas and stack memories temporarily assigned to the instances,and the information, via the connection of the instances with oneanother. The management occurs dynamically, so that system componentscan be connected and/or separated even during operation of the centralcomputer 1, or at least then, when an application program is already tobe found in the central computer 1.

For managing the contexts, the management system 4 has means for errorrecognition and/or error handling, which e.g. monitor the availabilityof memory areas or the utilization of the system components.

In the case of the present measuring device, also interface componentsIX can be used, with the corresponding code modules havinginterface-specific program code, in order e.g. to control the hardwareinterfaces of the central computer 1. The interface component IX of thecentral computer 1 is used in this case for activating the field businterface 6 a.

For the data transfer between the interface component IX of themanagement system 4 and the communication interface 6, a dual-port RAMmemory is provided, which can be read out of, and written into,simultaneously by the interface component IX and the communicationinterface 6. Access control occurs using semaphores, thus variableswhich regulate exclusive access of the interface component, or thecommunications interface 6, to the dual-port RAM memory, in order toassure data consistency in the memory.

The service component D makes the services of the operating system 2available to the system components, or to their instances, connectedwith it.

Beyond this, the management system 4 has a parameter management system5, wherein the system components, or their instances, record theirparameters. System 5 manages all parameters of the system components.Especially, dependencies between parameters in various systemcomponents, or instances, are resolved by the parameter managementsystem 5.

Especially advantageous in the measuring device is the possibility ofbeing able to change information via the connection of system componentsduring operation of the measuring device, or central computer 1, and tobe able to transmit system components into the central computer 1 duringoperation, this being made possible by the dynamic management of thesystem components by the management system 4.

In order, for example, to integrate a user-defined filter function intothe measuring device, a code-module is first developed using appropriateguidelines. The code-module implements the user-defined filter function.The code-module is then transferred into the program memory of thecentral computer as functional component F′. Now, the user-defined,system component F′ transferred into the central computer can beconnected by the management system 4 with other system components.

The system components are, in general, cyclically executed, for examplewith a cycle time, or period, which is given by a timer of the operatingsystem 2. Additionally, it is possible to invoke system componentsacyclically directly from the presently running program code e.g. of anapplication program.

Conversely, it is also possible from a system component, as alreadymentioned, to invoke an application program or to utilize callbackmechanisms provided therein.

Especially advantageous is also the possibility of specifying systemcomponents using a development environment provided therefor, forexample, on a PC. Especially in the case of functional components, it ispossible to use, quite generally, already existing description languagesof widely accepted symbol manipulation programs, such as e.g.“Mathematica”, “Matlab” or “Maple”, or also data from simulationprograms, such as e.g. “SimuLink”, for the specification of thefunctional component itself, or its description within the developmentenvironment.

Very expedient, in such case, is also the possibility of buildingfunctional components from function portions already existing infunction libraries.

Likewise is it possible to develop, on a development system for systemcomponents, entire libraries of system components, which can be selectedas needed and transferred into an appropriate measuring device.

Beyond this, it can be very advantageous to simulate the interactions ofindividual system components in the development system, beforetransferring these system components into the measuring device. In thisway, malfunctions during operation of the measuring device in the fieldcan be prevented.

For this purpose, the individual system components are alreadyconnectable with one another in the development system. In so far as allsystem components required for a desired functionality are alreadypresent in the central computer 1 of the measuring device, it issufficient, following the simulation, then just to transfer theinformation about the interconnections of the individual systemcomponents into the central computer 1. The information is stored in amemory area of the central computer 1 provided therefor and, forexample, reviewed periodically by the management system 4 for itsvalidity, or consistency. It is also possible to evaluate thisinformation automatically upon start-up of the measuring device.

A change of the functionality of the measuring device can always be madein the field by transferring new system components, or information aboutconnections, into the central computer 1. In particular, no knowledgeabout the program structure of the central computer 1 is required, sothat re-configuration of the measuring device of the invention can bedelegated to assistants.

It is also possible that information about the connection of systemcomponents or also system components themselves can be transferreddirectly from a first measuring device to a second measuring device.

1-15. (canceled)
 16. A measuring device for process technology, useful in measuring- and/or cleaning- and/or calibration-installations in the field of process automation for measuring pH-values and/or redox potentials and/or other process parameters, having: at least one central unit, which has at least one central computer; and a management system provided in said central computer for the dynamic management of at least one of: input components (I) and/or output components (O) and/or functional components (F) and/or service components (D) and/or management components (V) and/or interface components (IX) and/or other system components.
 17. The measuring and/or control and/or regulating device as claimed in claim 16, wherein: the execution of application programs on said central computer (1) can be managed from said management system.
 18. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein: said management system includes a parameter management system.
 19. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein: said management system includes means for error recognition and/or error handling.
 20. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein: in said central computer, a communications interface is provided, which interacts with said interface component (IX).
 21. The measuring device as claimed in claim 16, wherein: a user interface (UI) is provided.
 22. The measuring device as claimed in claim 20, wherein: said communications interface includes a field bus, Profibus, HART or FOUNDATION field bus interface.
 23. The measuring device as claimed in claim 20, wherein: said communications interface includes an integrated Web server.
 24. The measuring device as claimed in claim 13, wherein: said user interface (UI) includes a Web browser.
 25. An operating method for a measuring device for process technology, useful in measuring- and/or cleaning- and/or calibration-installations in the field of process automation for measuring pH-values and/or redox potentials and/or other process parameters, with at least one central unit, which has at least one central computer, comprising the steps of: providing in the central computer a management system which dynamically manages at least one of: input components (I) and/or output components (O) and/or functional components (F) and/or service components (D) and/or management components (V) and/or interface components (IX) and/or other system components.
 26. The operating method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of: specifying and/or selecting and/or configuring and/or connecting the system components, preferably with the help of a development environment together, before they are transferred into the central computer.
 27. The operating method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising the step of: transferring into the central computer and/or bound-in by the management system, the system components during operation of the measuring devices.
 28. The operating method as claimed in claim 25, wherein: system components are bound-in permanently into the central computer and, for configuring the measuring device, information about the connection of the system components is utilized by the management system.
 29. The operating method as claimed in claim 28, wherein: the connection of the system components is obtained with the help of a development environment preferably outside of the central computer.
 30. The operating method as claimed in claim 28, wherein: the information about the binding/connection of the system components is transferred from a first measuring device to further measuring devices. 